Transatlantic
by xxBoppingAllTheWayxx
Summary: An overseas trip to Britain opens up a whole new world for two very lucky boys. TroyRyan.
1. The American Dream

**Name: **_Transatlantic_

**Chapter One: **_The American Dream_

**Pairing: **_Troy/Ryan_

**Author: **_xxBoppingAllTheWayxx_

**Word Count: **_920_

**Warnings: **_Slash_

**Summary: **_An overseas trip to Britain opens up a whole new world for two very lucky boys._

* * *

Like cattle, the members of the East High School drama class were herded swiftly into the small pen that constituted their classroom, each one impatient as to find out why this "emergency meeting" had been called.

Ms. Darbus swooped into the room, the lower edge of her baby-blue shawl swung over her shoulder, and stood in full view of her class. Behind her glasses, her eyes were darted between her students, her gaze travelling from face to face of the youths awaiting her instruction.

"Now, class, I have called you all here today because I have something very exciting to share with you all."

Pausing for dramatic flair, she gave a rare smile, her eyes resting upon Ryan and Sharpay Evans, sat in the centre of the front row, knowing smirks already set on their faces.

"And, after an _anonymous_ donation," she gave a barely discernible nod to the twins before continuing, "the principal has agreed that the entire drama group would benefit for an all-expenses-paid trip to London, England to experience the fabulous selection of "West End" theatre therein!"

The class immediately broke into frenzied whispering, each student thoroughly excited by the surprise vacation. At the front of the class, Sharpay and Ryan shared a smug, self-congratulating high-five.

Ms. Darbus, however, stressed a number of ground rules that she insisted would be severely enforced. "This trip will be an opportunity to immerse oneself in a foreign culture and truly experience a new way of living. So, to ensure you concentrate upon the world of theatre, you will be split into same-sex pairs..."

There was a resounding groan from the assembled students, and even Ryan and Sharpay shared a concerned look. Unaffected, Ms. Darbus continued her tirade. "And, of course, there will be a curfew of 10pm... and that's _their_ time, before any of you try that particular loophole."

As time went on, the teacher gave more details and laid down further restrictions, yet nothing was able to dampen the spirits of the overexcited students and, before the end of the day, mad squabbles had taken place over choosing partners.

As the self-proclaimed Queen of the Campus, Sharpay had no difficulty when it came to finding partners and, despite annoyed at the enforced gender-divide, happily picked Gabriella as her buddy. Ryan, on the other hand, had a much more difficult experience.

Despite being part of the prestigious Evans dynasty, and co-head of the Drama Club, Ryan had never been very good at making friends. Those whom had befriended him either wanted a piece of his money, or a piece of his sister.

He had grown quite fond, however, of Gabriella and Chad during the summer vacation at the Lava Springs Country Club, especially after the three of them had bonded working together of the Talent Show. However, the strict same-sex rule forced Gabriella out of the equation and into his sister's clutches, and Chad had instantly paired up with another guy from his basketball team.

Weeks went past quickly, and Ryan was no closer to having someone to share the trip with, and began to think that he'd have to spend the entire vacation in the company of Ms. Darbus which, whilst he'd see a lot of the theatre, he wouldn't enjoy that much. As far as he was aware, he was the only person in the entire group who hadn't managed to find a partner, a thought which he found rather depressing.

On the morning of the trip, Ryan and Sharpay loaded their heavy cases into the trunk of Sharpay's pink coupé. The holiday mood had taken over the siblings, and the pair enjoyed the car ride to the airport with Kim Wilde's '_Kids in America_' blasting from the sound system.

Before they knew it, the airport loomed ahead of them, and they pulled up in the long-term car park. Ryan emptied the trunk of his leopard-print cases, and also his sister's zebra-print cases. Between the twins, they were ready to take the United Kingdom by storm.

Joining the horde of classmates already arrived, Ryan noted how everyone immediately latched onto their buddy in excitement and anticipation for the vacation about to begin. Trying not to attract attention, Ryan leant against a nearby pillar, listening as Ms. Darbus began to hand out tickets.

Sharpay and Gabriella were the first person to receive their tickets, and giggled as they walked over to the large window and began to look at the different aeroplanes taking off and landing. Ryan, however, was one of the last people to get their tickets.

When Ms. Darbus finally reached him, she asked the question he'd been dreading to answer.

"Ah, Mr. Evans! And your partner...?"

Ryan mumbled something in response, too quiet to be audible, and Ms. Darbus forced him to repeat his answer.

"I haven't got one, Ms. Darbus."

"I see..." Ms. Darbus turned to face the crowd and, without an ounce of discreetness, spoke to the congregation. "Right, Ryan needs a partner. Step forward those of you whom didn't make arrangements."

One person stepped forward, and their appearance caused Ryan's eyes to widen and his cheeks to flush scarlet. The figure raised his hand before running his hand sheepishly through his hair.

"Ah, Mr. Bolton. How nice of you to volunteer."

Ryan's eyes met Troy's, and a smile simultaneously appeared on the faces of each boy. This vacation was going to be better than he had expected, thought Ryan in anticipation.

* * *

_Sorry, guys, no real action in this chapter._

Joey ~x~


	2. Come Fly With Me

**Name: **_Transatlantic_

**Chapter Two: **_Come Fly With Me_

**Pairing: **_Troy/Ryan_

**Author: **_xxBoppingAllTheWayxx_

**Word Count:**_ 1179_

**Warnings: **_Slash_

**Summary: **_An overseas trip to Britain opens up a whole new world for two very lucky boys._

* * *

It didn't take long for all of the passengers to get aboard the aeroplane, and to find their seats. It came as a surprise, however, when Ryan and Troy realised that there were a few empty rows between them and the rest of their friends, but were told by the stewardess that they'd have to remain in their appointed seats.

"Still," started Troy, "more time to talk, right?"

Ryan was surprised by Troy's openness, especially given the jealousy he'd harboured over Ryan's tutoring of Gabriella at the Country Club. Thinking about it, however, Ryan felt that this would allow the pair to start over, and perhaps cultivate a nice friendship between them.

Ryan leant back into the comfortable chair, stretching his legs out slightly into the aisle, to his side he was aware of Troy looking out of the window.

"Troy, you are aware that we haven't taken off yet, right?"

Troy turned his head, grinning to match Ryan's own smile, and rolled his eyes. "Of course, I am! I'm looking for my mom and dad." He returned to looking out of the window, leaving Ryan to his own devices.

"There they are!" Troy shook Ryan's arm to get his attention and pointed at the window. "I can see them! Wave, Ry!"

Rolling his eyes playfully, Ryan leant across Troy and stared through the pane. Sure enough, he could just make out Coach Bolton and a woman that Ryan assumed was Troy's mother, still stood in the terminal waving. The coach stopped waving when he saw Ryan's face, until the woman whispered into his ear, causing him to look sharply at her, then at Ryan once more, waving at the boy with a odd stiffness in his decorum.

"Your folks seem nice," Ryan commented as he returned to his comfy seated position. As he buckled up, the pilot's voice buzzed over the intercom, announcing that the plane was about to take-off. As the intercom buzzed out again, excited chatter began to erupt from their fellow classmates. Troy grinned at Ryan once again, before buckling his own safety belt.

Moments later, the plane began to move and the talking dimmed again as all attention was diverted on the plane's ascent. Ryan noted Troy sitting quite tensely, and alternating between staring out of the window, and staring at his fingers, fidgeting.

"Never flown before?"

"What gave it away?"

Ryan reached over and put his hands over Troy's. "It's a short flight, Troy. Eleven hours, at the very most. If you panic, it's going to seem longer." He could feel Troy's racing pulse under his hands and decided to divert the boy's attention. Reaching into his hand-luggage case, he pulled out a pair of handheld consoles. "Up for a game?"

They played through Ryan's collection of games for around an hour, before the early morning finally took its toll upon the pair of them. As Ryan placed the Nintendo DSes back into his hand-luggage, Troy undid his buckle, and let the seat recline into a sleep-worthy position. In a matter of moments, Ryan had done the same and the pair settled ready for sleep.

Ryan was the first one to succumb to slumber and, in his sleep, he cuddled up to the brunette next to him. Without any feelings of guilt or uncertainty, Troy wrapped an arm around Ryan, and joined him in sleep, a content smile upon his face.

They were awoken, a couple of hours later, by a rather surprised Sharpay. She impatiently shook Ryan's shoulder to try and prise him from his sleep before, failing to walk him in the conventional way, dug her pink, acrylic fingernails into his wrist.

The blonde boy jolted awake, sitting upright with a look of shocked pain upon his face. His sudden movement had also managed to wake Troy, and Sharpay soon found herself being subjected to a double glare from her brother and the basketball team captain.

"You want a snack?"

Despite the death-glares coming from the boys, Sharpay held her ground firm and folded her arms vexatiously. "Do you want a snack?" Her voice sounded almost piercing to the sleep-deprived pair, and the lilt to her voice seemed stronger and more deafening than ever before.

The boys simultaneously looked at one another, then at the girl, before giving a synchronised and forceful "No." As she left, the pair settled back down to sleep, not pausing for thought before resuming the snuggling position that they had been very happily snoozing in. Before they could get back to sleep though, Troy muttered something quietly to himself.

"Jinx, one kiss."

"Beg your pardon?"

Ryan's eyes were wide open now, all traces of tiredness having flown from his body. He sat up and turned to face Troy, eyes incredulous and brow furrowed. He had heard quite clearly what Troy had said, yet the meaning behind it seemed lost upon him.

"It's nothing. Forget it."

"No, Troy. You said 'Jinx, one kiss.' What's that mean?"

Troy sat up, and looked over the top of his chair, spotting Sharpay at the back of the aisle with a sleeping Gabriella resting upon her shoulder. He turned back to face Ryan.

"It's a game that Gabby and I play. Whenever we say the same thing, at the same time, the first person to shout out 'Jinx' wins, and gets to name their prize."

Troy stopped talking. Ryan thought this over in his head for a couple of seconds before realisation dawned upon him. Troy had, without realising it, announced his intended prize. One kiss.

Ryan quickly glanced around to see if anyone was watching them and, satisfied that they were unobserved, quickly leant forward and brushed his lips gently against Troy's, before pulling away and turning his back upon the boy.

The next couple of hours passed in stony silence between the pair and, before either boy was really aware of the time, the pilot's voice buzzed once more over the intercom announcing that the plane would shortly be landing. Glancing briefly at each other, the boys quickly readjusted their chairs back into the seated position, and buckled their safety belts again, ready for landing.

Once landed, the students queued in the aisle, ready to be allowed off the plane and, under the orders of Ms. Darbus, held hands with their buddy. The action brought a fervent blush to the cheeks of both boys as they remembered the earlier kiss, though neither cared to mention it although both noticed the creeping crimson upon their faces. As the dismounted the aeroplane, Ryan felt his buddy hand him a small piece of paper which he quickly unfolded.

_No-one said that _you_ had to join in the game, but I'm glad you have. X_

Again, Ryan felt the burning blush of his cheeks, and heard a soft chuckle from the brunette next to him. The holidays had only just begun, and it was going to be one that neither boy would ever forget.

* * *

_  
So that's Chapter Two done, guys. Hope you enjoyed it. A little reviewing never hurt anyone, either. *hint hint wink wink*_

Joey ~x~


	3. Rule, Brittania!

**Name: **_Transatlantic  
_**Chapter Three: **_Rule, Britannia!  
_**Pairing: **_Troy/Ryan  
_**Author: **_xxBoppingAllTheWayxx  
_**Word Count: **_1464  
_**Warnings: **_Slash.  
_**Summary: **_An overseas trip to Britain opens up a whole new world for two very lucky boys._

* * *

The coach trip from the airport to the hotel passed without any major event, as Ms. Darbus strutted up and down the aisle of the coach, handing key-cards out to students as she passed. She handed Troy his key-card and turned away, without handing anything to Ryan. He cough conspicuously to attract her attention.

"Ms. Darbus, what about _my_ key-card?"

She turned to face her student, and silently pointed at Ryan, then at Troy, before smiling in a way that could barely be considered sweetly. "You'll be sharing with your partner, Mr. Evans, the same as everyone else."

Ryan's face blanched and he glanced at Troy, noting that the boy was grinning evilly. A little cynical voice in Ryan;s head hypothesised that the Wildcat had planned this all along. Regardless, Ryan wasn't about to let Troy get the upper hand, and refused to say anything more, choosing to spend the rest of the ride staring out of the window.

Half of an hour later, the coach had pulled up outside their hotel, and all of the students were in awe of the beauty of the dwellings. Troy and Ryan heaved their luggage into the glass elevator, or "lift," and waited until they were on the required floor.

Troy swiped the key-card through the reader and the pair of boys entered their hotel room. The room was gleaming white as sunshine poured in through the gauzy curtains, spilling light onto the glass-top table complete with vase of lilies, the frosted-glass door leading to the bathroom, and the large double bed with a white-silk bedspread.

All of this went unnoticed by the two boys, whom tiredly dragged their suitcases into the room and closed the door behind them. They were being treated to a night out at a restaurant tonight, and neither felt that they looked suitably glamorous enough for the occasion, and hurried to get ready.

Troy was the first person to use the bathroom to shower, stating that since he'd take the least time, he ought to go first, logic that Ryan couldn't really argue with. So, while Troy freshened up in the bathroom, Ryan examined the room. He found a small kettle hidden away in one of the cupboards and, filling it with bottled water he'd brought, set it on the glass table and switched it on. Minutes later, the kettle had boiled, and Ryan poured two mugs of instant coffee. Milk and sugar had been provided by the hotel and, he felt he had to admit, British coffee wasn't all that bad.

As Ryan sipped his coffee, Troy emerged from the bathroom, a white towel slung around his waist. Beads of water still clung to his body, and Ryan's attention was held by a single droplet that started on Troy's neck, then started to run down past the symmetrical layout of his upper chest, and down further, sliding down the ridge created by Troy's defined abdomen before hitting the fluffy white towel.

Troy snapped his fingers, and Ryan's gaze darted upwards to see a slightly-smirking Wildcat. He felt a red flush rise upon his cheeks under Troy's unwavering gaze.

"Shower's all yours, Ryan."

Ryan muttered a quiet word of thanks as he passed the brunette, pausing as he reached the frosted glass of the door upon hearing Troy's voice.

"Where's the other bed?"

He spun around instantly, his eyes opened wide as he scoped the room before his gaze settled upon the solitary double bed. Swallowing slightly, he forced himself to look at Troy. Troy was also staring at the bed, but his vacant gaze implied that he was deep in thought. After several long minutes, Troy blinked repeatedly then realised that Ryan was watching him.

"Sorry, zoned out... We can share, right buddy? It's only for a few days."

"No way!" Ryan's jaw dropped at Troy's suggestion. After the fateful game played on the plane, coupled with the teasing note Troy had later given him, there was no chance in Hell of Ryan wanting to share a bed with the boy.

Troy's shoulders slumped somewhat, barely noticeable, as Ryan vehemently refused the idea. About to argue in defence, Troy's attention was caught by a small glass clock on the wall. He nodded to the clock, causing Ryan to notice the time.

"I'd better get ready, but this isn't over, Troy. We need to get this sorted out so that we have separate beds."

Ryan stormed off into the bathroom, leaving Troy to sit miserably at the table, before noticing the second mug of coffee that Ryan had prepared. He took a small sip, noting that although the beverage was too hot to drink, Ryan had gotten the balance of milk and sugar just right.

Next door, Ryan had stripped himself of his clothes, still scowling in anger until he caught sight of himself in the full-length mirror. He wasn't vain, not in comparison to his sister, but he did hold a great deal of pride in the way he looked. He lacked the definition of Troy, but felt he looked attractive thin his own right. Where Troy was muscled, Ryan was sleek, and where the basketball player had rigidity and strength, he had flexibility and poise. Also, his package was something he was particularly proud of...

Coming to his senses, and realising that time was of the essence, Ryan entered the shower cubicle and switched on the water, relishing the feeling of the cleansing water washing away the strains and stresses of his body. He poured a sachet of complimentary shampoo into has hand, before lathering his blonde hair, his fingers running through his silky tresses. His eyes closed and his mouth parted slightly in pleasure as the warmth of the water soothed both his aching body and his troubled spirit.

_Flash!_

Ryan's eyes snapped open,then quickly started blinking as the shampoo ran from his hair into his eyes. He gritted his teeth in pain as he tilted his head upwards into the cascading water, attempting to wash the stinging gel from his face. He startled and jumped when he felt someone rub his face with a warm wash-cloth.

"Sorry, Ry. Didn't mean to startle you."

Ryan threw his weight backwards against the wall, now able to open his eyes and survey his surroundings. Troy grinned sheepishly in front of him, the cubicle door open as the

towel-clad basketball player held a camera in one hand and the wash-cloth in the other. His smile faded as Ryan's glare burnt through him, and he bit his lip nervously.

"I... just wanted to see if my camera was working... and there was nothing interesting in the other room to photograph."

Ryan opened his mouth to respond with a polite and eloquent damning obscenity but it caught in his throat as he watched Troy's eyes travel down his body, settling clearly upon his exposed crotch. Despite himself, part of him enjoyed the attention that Troy was giving him, and that not-so-little part began to rise to the occasion.

"Out. Now."

Ryan's voice was colder than ice as he turned himself to face the wall, before realising that he was now flashing his ass to the Wildcat. Blushing, he spun around and pushed Troy away, embarrassment clear on his face.

"Troy!"

The iciness was completely gone, replaced instead with a shrill whine. Finally relenting, Troy grinned at the blonde before tossing the wash-cloth at him. Ryan caught it with both hands, unveiling his crotch one more time.

_Flash!_

Laughing loudly, Troy left the bathroom, looking at his digital camera and his two most-recently taken photos. Ryan returned to the shower, washing the remnants of the shampoo out of his hair, and running the cloth over his body quickly. He switched off the water and left the cubicle.

Looking around, he failed to see a towel for him to dry himself with, and silently cursed Troy for using the bathroom first. Swallowing his pride, he exited the bathroom, getting halfway across the lounge before hearing something that made his blood run cold.

"Ahh!"

Ryan spun sharply, his hands covering his crotch as Troy stood by the open door, his hand clamped over his mouth and his shoulders shaking with silent laughter. To his left was a clearly shocked Gabriella and Sharpay, both girls dressed up in their tightest dresses.

Refusing to be embarrassed a second time in the space of two minutes, Ryan composed himself and turned to face their guests, giving them a bright wink and a grin. Laughing to himself, he picked up his suitcase and returned to the sanctuary of the bathroom, where he promptly leant against a wall and exhaled loudly, promising himself that he'd get revenge on Troy soon enough.

* * *

Sorry about the delay, guys. I had to wipe my PC and type this up again from rough draft notes.

_Joey ~x~_


	4. A Jolly Good British BoozeUp

**Name: **_Transatlantic  
_**Chapter Four: **_A Jolly Good British Booze-Up__  
_**Pairing: **_Troy/Ryan  
_**Author: **_xxBoppingAllTheWayxx  
_**Word Count: **_1077  
_**Warnings: **_Slash.  
_**Summary: **_An overseas trip to Britain opens up a whole new world for two very lucky boys._

* * *

The buzz of conversation around them did very little to soothe the burning tension currently between Ryan Evans and his 'buddy' for his transatlantic holiday, Troy Bolton. After reluctantly experiencing Troy's voyeuristic side, Ryan was determined to make the basketball student squirm until he was satisfied that Troy had suffered enough.

Ryan's eyes seemed to glow in the flickering illumination of the candles on the table-for-two, as he stared unwaveringly at his ever-increasingly uncomfortable 'buddy.' Since Troy had earlier played a part in humiliating him, the boys had hardly spoken to each other, save for a brief snark from Ryan when he next saw Troy. In the tangible silence, Ryan thought back to the events before their dinner-date

*

When Ryan exited the bathroom for a second time, after first checking that there were no giggling girls in the immediate vicinity, he found himself greeted by an empty hotel room, not that he was complaining. He dropped his suitcase onto the solitary bed and turned towards the door. His attention was, however, taken by a sheet of paper on the table, next to an empty mug.

_'If it's any consolation, those are very flattering photos. Meet you in the entrance hall at half-past. X_'

Ryan's eyes scanned the note once, twice and a final third time before he let the paper drop from his hand. _Bastard_, he thought with a grin, _total bastard! _Ryan walked to the window, glancing out at the evening city, lights twinkling from the world outside. He took a moment to immerse himself in the British beauty, but time was of the essence.

His mood raised, the blonde checked his hat, blazer, tie and trousers in the mirror before leaving his hotel room, briefly wondering whether Troy had remembered the key-card. He slowly descended the grand staircase, not bothering to take the elevator, and as he finally arrived at the entrance hall, he found himself moderately overwhelmed at the atmosphere that greeted him.

His fellow classmates, each dolled up to the best of their abilities (and budgets), chattered excitedly in the hall, much to the consternation of Ms. Darbus, who had chosen a baby-blue shawl thrown over a too-tight black dress. From his vantage point upon the stairs, he spotted his sister, his room-mate and Gabriella in muted conversation. Troy seemed to be in the middle of saying something very unpleasant, given Gabriella's tearful reaction, but Troy's sentence was abruptly ended by Sharpay sharply elbowing him in the ribs as her eyes met those of her brother's.

Troy's gaze shot upwards in Ryan's direction, before returning to Gabriella, whom had by now wiped her eyes and was reapplying her mascara. Without a word between them, Troy and Gabriella walked away from each other, with Sharpay hot on the girl's heels.

Troy, meanwhile, made his way to Ryan, a sheepish smile on his face. Noting the blonde's curious and accusatory gaze, Troy immediately diverted the topic of conversation, pre-emptively dodging Ryan's questions. "I was beginning to wonder whether or not you'd show."

With a small smile, Ryan joked, "Surely I've shown enough for one evening," and with a swagger in his step, he descended the remaining stairs, practically oozing charisma. He made a point of not looking back at Troy, despite almost feeling the laser-hot gaze from Troy's eyes trailing him as he prepared to socialise. As if on cue, Ms. Darbus rose to her full height and a hush descended upon the room.

"Now, if you are all ready..."

The restaurant they were taken to was unbelievable, as was the queue that extended out of the building and seemingly around the neighbourhood. Luckily for the students of East High School, they had a reservation, and took guilty pleasure in walking straight past the queue and into the magnificent establishment.

*

Ryan blinked twice as he zoned back into reality, becoming aware that Troy was talking to him. The brunette silenced himself and looked expectantly at Ryan, who couldn't recall Troy's question. Rather than admit to Troy that he'd purposefully tuned out his words, Ryan decided to gamble by nodding yes, suddenly becoming aware by how pleased Troy was by his affirmation.

"Good, I'm glad that you feel we can start over."

"Yeah... well... forgive and forget...?" Floundering mentally, Ryan felt his stomach drop as he realised that he'd unwittingly accepted Troy's apology, chiding himself for not paying more attention to their conversation. Fate swiftly came to Ryan's rescue as the meal arrived, though he felt a red flush sweep over him as he surveyed the single plate placed in between them. The waiter gave a brief wink to the pair before departing, and Ryan's gaze fell sharply upon his hand as Troy covered it with his own.

"No more jokes, no more puns..."

Ryan's eyebrow delicately arched upwards, but he let Troy continue his little speech.

"Besides, this is Britain. The most romantic thing they do here is lie back and think of England."

In unison, the pair dissolved into hysterics which lasted several minutes and incurred a scathing glare from Ms. Darbus, sat a number of tables away. As their laughter died down, Ryan reached for the bottle of wine upon the table and, still grinning and chuckling slightly, poured two glasses of the ruby liquid.

Troy reached forward and nimbly raised his own glass, Ryan copying him a half-second later. Before he was allowed to take a sip of the drink though, Troy hand placed his hand over Ryan's own, a small smile on his lips.

"Seeing as how we're starting over..."

Troy lifting Ryan's hand to his lips and kissed it gently, causing the blonde to blush crimson in the dim lighting. "Troy Bolton, pleased to make your acquaintance." He lowered Ryan's hand and flashed the boy a dazzling smile. "And you are?"

Ryan didn't remember what happened from that point, and it wasn't until he felt Troy's arm snake around his bare chest that he opened his eyes. Sunlight streamed through the gauze curtains as Ryan blinked away the sleep in his eyes. His first thought was the pounding beat behind his eyes that reminded him of his intoxication the previous night. His second thought was the sun-kissed youth lightly dozing against him. Fuzzy memories came flooding back, though many bits were still unclear. Why had he drunk so much, and why was Troy naked in bed with him?

* * *

_Sorry that this has taken so long to post, especially as it's so short and not very progressive. It's been a hectic couple of months. I turned 18, went on a holiday (though, sadly, no holiday romance), and got some rather bad news recently. But heigh-ho, there's work to be done!_

_Joey ~x~_


	5. English Breakfast

**Name: **_Transatlantic  
_**Chapter Five: **_English Breakfast__  
_**Pairing: **_Troy/Ryan  
_**Author: **_xxBoppingAllTheWayxx  
_**Word Count: **_1257  
_**Warnings: **_Slash.  
_**Summary: **_An overseas trip to Britain opens up a whole new world for two very lucky boys._

* * *

"Troy-- ahh."

Ryan brought his hands to his forehead as pain seared through him, the cocktails from last night leaving their mark on the student's nerve clusters. He tried speaking again, this time quieter.

"Troy... Troy, wake up."

"Ungh."

The athlete's disinterested response made Ryan roll his eyes in frustration, before hissing as the pain doubled behind his vision. It came as a small surprise that Troy's eyes immediately opened as he heard Ryan's ache-filled utterance. Ryan lowered his hands to see sapphire eyes meeting his own chocolate eyes, the blue darkened by concern and fatigue.

Troy let out a small chuckle and threw the duvet off the pair, seemingly unaware or unconcerned with his nudity. Ryan, on the other hand, felt his eyes widen at the sight and quickly pulled the duvet over to his side of the bed, covering himself. It took a second or two to dawn on Ryan that he was actually dressed below the waist, despite Troy's own lack of attire.

"What-- what happened last night?"

Ryan suffered yet another false start as the hangover took its toll on his body. Being the mother's-boy he had been raised to be, Ryan was seldom used to drinking anything more than a single celebratory glass of champagne at an after-show party, or the solitary tumbler of whiskey he father had allowed him on his 18th Birthday. The latter had burnt his throat badly and Ryan had made a promise to himself never to drink whiskey again, though he momentarily wondered whether or not he'd broken that promise last night.

Troy turned over in his bed to face Ryan, a warm smile on his face. A mischievous twinkle glinted in the too-blue Wildcat eyes, and the smile quickly changed into a grin as Troy began to speak.

"I bought you a drink, you got absolutely wasted, and we came back here and got our thang on."

Ryan's jaw dropped and his eyes widened, the chocolate brown gaze emphasised against Ryan's blanched skin. He tried to speak, but nothing more than a small gurgle emerged. Troy watched in silence before breaking into a giggle.

"I'm kidding, doofus! We both got smashed, stumbled back to the hotel, we'd left our keycards in the room so we had to wait for the manager to let us in, and you threw up on me while we were waiting. No sex, I promise."

At Troy's revelation, Ryan let out a breath he hadn't even been aware he'd been holding. He felt Troy place a strong arm around him, and Ryan forced himself to look at the golden-tanned boy sharing his bed. In the early-morning light shining in from the open window, the Wildcat seemed to glow divinely, a fact which Ryan both noticed and admired.

"There was no sex, I promise you," Troy repeated, before adding, "I'd want to be sober enough to remember being with you."

Ryan wasted no time jumping out of the bed and sprinting straight into the bathroom, closing and locking the door behind him. For a moment, Troy dropped his gaze, his face crestfallen and his heart crushing before the sounds of Ryan retching reached his ears. Taking solace in the fact that Ryan had taken measures to avoid throwing up on him again, Troy climbed out of the bed and crossed the room to the bathroom door.

_Knock._

_Knock, knock._

Ryan opened the door, a pitiful sight. On his hands and knees, his hair sleep-tousled and his skin ghastly-white, Ryan crawled back to the toilet and braced himself in case he need to vomit again. Trying not to smile at Ryan's predicament, Troy folded his arms across his bare chest and walked to the sink.

Ryan began to throw up once more, and Troy ran a washcloth under the faucet and wiped Ryan's brow. He was no stranger to hangovers, and had a sneaking suspicion that this was Ryan's first time, so he was sure that the blonde would appreciate someone looking after him.

A knock at the door caused Ryan to turn sharply, his face colliding with Troy's naked body, adding to the level of discomfort that the blonde was currently experiencing. Raising san eyebrow at Ryan's apparent eagerness, Troy rolled his eyes and wrapped a dressing gown around himself, partially closing the bathroom door as he answered the entrance door.

From the bathroom, Ryan could quite clearly hear Troy's surprised reaction to whomever was at the door, and saw a shadow pass over the underside of the door as the guest walked past the bathroom entrance. Occasional, embittered words drifted from the room outside which Ryan attempted to piece together.

_Guessed._

_Nothing._

_Forever._

_Twin._

The last word caught Ryan's interest immediately. He had fathomed that the unexpected guest was Gabriella, but the subject of their conversation had eluded him until now. Whatever Gabriella and Troy were arguing about, it was to do with either himself or his sister, and judging by the conversation he'd interrupted yesterday evening, Ryan was pretty sure that he was the topic of choice.

_Slam._

_Slam._

The bathroom door swung open sharply and hit the wall, causing the second slam and narrowly missing Ryan. The twin was shocked to discover that Troy's eyes had gotten puffier since he'd answered the door, and it suddenly dawned on Ryan what the conversation he'd overheard was with regards to.

"You've broken up with her, haven't you?"

Troy didn't answer verbally, just nodded slightly before dropping his head down, his shoulders drooping as he let out a small sob. Ryan quickly pulled the brunette into a tight embrace, helping his friend cope with the newfound feelings he was experiencing.

He felt strong arms wrap around him, pulling him closer, and a second later he felt himself being lifted into the air and carried out of the bathroom. Troy laid him gently onto the bed before cuddling up next to him.

The athlete rested his head on Ryan's shoulder, blinking away some of the tears in his eyes as he felt the blonde's hand enclose his own. A moment followed, and then Troy was pleased to realise that Ryan was now snuggling back against him, comfy against his classmate.

The pair closed their eyes sleepily, physically and emotionally drained for the morning. Just before sleep befell them, however, a small trill from the bedside table alerted the boys to the fact that it was now 8am, and Ms. Darbus would soon be knocking on their door to rouse them.

In unison, both boys sighed defeatedly and rolled their eyes. "Damn."

They both froze instantly, heads turning to face each other. Their eyes sparkled in the morning light as their held the gaze, both boys now smiling as they realised the other thought of the same.

"Jinx! One kiss!"

Ryan, the newcomer to the game, had beaten the Wildcat by mere seconds and won the round. With a grin and without hesitation, Troy rolled on top of Ryan, looking down upon the blonde boy beneath him, and brought their lips together chastely.

Wrapping his arms around the brunette's tight body, Ryan deepened the kiss, opening his mouth to allow Troy's wandering tongue access. He ran his lithe fingers through the soft brown hair, pulling the boy closer to him, his eyes closing in pure bliss and Troy's hand ran down from his chest, past his waist and just about to touch his--

_Knock knock._

"Mr. Evans. Mr. Bolton. Rise and shi-ine!"

Damn.

* * *

_I'm so so so so so so sorry for the delay! I'd totally forgotten about this story, and I've been so swamped with college that nothing else got a look in. As always, read and review. It's feedback from you guys that motivates me to continue._

_Joey ~x~_


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